Gophers Drop Landmark Opener at No. 8 Scranton

SCRANTON, Pa. - Sixth-ranked University of Scranton downed Goucher College 86-40 in the Landmark Conference women's basketball opener for both schools Saturday afternoon at the John Long Center.

• Back-to-back three-pointers by Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) put Goucher (2-5, 0-1 Landmark) up 6-4 two minutes into the game.
• Scranton (7-0, 1-0) scored the next six points before a Smith basket at the 5:51 mark made it 10-8.
• A 12-2 run by the Royals made it 22-10 with a minute left in the opening frame.
• The hosts carried a 24-12 lead into the second quarter.

• A basket by Kendra Lawrence (Hackensack, N.J./Immaculate Conception) 1:16 into the quarter made it 27-14.
• Goucher got the lead to 12, 32-20, on a Smith three with 5:46 left before halftime.
• A 13-2 run by Scranton made it 45-22 with just over two minutes left in the half.
• Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) made a layup with 39 seconds left to halt the Royal run.
• Scranton led 47-24 at intermission.

• Scranton extended its lead to 57-28 just past the midway mark of the third quarter.
• Smith had six points in the final minutes of the third as the Royals built their lead to 69-35 with 10 minutes to play.

• The hosts closed the game on an 8-2 run and held the Gophers to five points in the fourth to close out the victory.

• Smith, who entered the game as the No. 4 scorer in Division III (24.2 ppg), finished with 25 points and grabbed five rebounds.  Smith has finished in double figures in all six games she has played.
• Quarles added nine points and seven rebounds.
• The Gophers finished 10-12 at the free throw line and shot 24% overall and 4-14 from three.
• Scranton, which held a 49-37 rebounding advantage, shot 42.5% for the contest.

• Goucher returns home Wednesday evening, hosting Salisbury in a 5:30 non-conference game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.